Anode



Patented Sept. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES OFFICE ANODE Paul 1%. Pine, Middleburgh Heights, Ohio, :as-

signor to The z-Iiarshaw Chemical Company, Elyria, Ohio, a corporation of Ghio Application April 26, 1945, Serial .No. 590,417

This invention relates to the art ofplating and more specifically to composite anodes for use in nickel plating.

In the recovery of nickel from ore one Of the methods employed results in an electrodeposit in sheet form of a highly pure form of nickel. This is an article of commerce and is known in the trade as "electro-sheet. For many years it has been recognized as desirable that means be devised which would permit the use of electrosheet'without prior melting as the's-ource of nickel in commercial nickel plating. So far as I am aware, however, no onehas heretofore devised a fully satisfactory means of supporting pieces of electrosheet for'anode use.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide composite anodes making use of electrolytic nickel, preferably in the form of electrosheet, 'as the source of nickel to be deposited. A further object is to provide in a composite anode an improved combination of anode metal and support. The invention is applicable also to other metals in plate or sheet form.

More specifically stated, an object 'ofthe invention is to provide a composite anode comprising an elongated, metallic, supporting element adapted to be connected with a suitable source of current "(as by having its upper end formed into a hook for engagement over a bus bar 'in'the usual manner of supporting electrodeposition anodes) and a plurality of plate-like. anode-pieces (such as the pieces I 5 and 20 hereinafter referred to and illustrated in the drawings) of the metal to be deposited (preferably but not necessarily nickel electro sheet) supported by said supporting element, said anode pieces being cutaway to provide opposed portions (the opposed portions being, for example, the longest side of one of the notches 15a and the opposite side thereof which is apart of the head I50 as seen in Fig. '3 or they may be the inner side of one of the projections 28b and the portion of the bottom of the notch 20a opposite thereto as seen in Fig. 4)both opposed portions being at one side of the center of mass and properly spaced to give the desired angle between the supporting element and the anode piece (as indicated in Fig. 5)..

Other and more specific objects will be in part obvious from the followingdescription and part pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is an elevation showing one form of my improved compositeanode; Fig. 2 is an elevation taken at'right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section corresponding substantially to the line "3-"3 of Fig. 1; Fig. '4 is a fragmentary section of a modified form of the invention 1'O0king from the same direction as in Fig, 2 (a view of the supporting unita'ccording to the modification of Fig. 4 taken at right angles to Fig. 4, has the same appearance spin es 1 0.

2 Claims. (CL 20f4--28-'8) 2 as the supporting unit shown in Fig. 1); Fig; '5 is a fragmentary detail View indicating a means of varying the anglebetween the supporting unit and the anode pieces by varying the width of the notch in the anode pieces; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view showing ameans of varying the angle between the supportin unit and the anode pieces by bending the latter and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the bent-anode piece shown in Fig. 6 and looking from a direction at right angles to Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral Ii] indicates a supportingspine consisting of two parallel bars which may be of circular, rectangular or other cross-section and may be connected togather by a cross-piece 12 'welded thereto. will be clear from Fig. 1 the spine 'I'O'is'bent near its upper end-at the point II and at its extreme upper end is 'formed into a hook 13 which 'is adapted toengage over 'acurrent carrying bar '14 whereby current may "be supplied in the usual manner. The "anode pieces .l5 may be cut "or stamped out of nickel .electro-"sheet and are adapted to "be interlocked with the supporting spines l0 whereby to be supported therein and electrically connected thereto. In Fig. 3, I have sh'o'wnan anode piece which is cut in the form of a square and provided with notches 15a near one or the corners which provide a neck 15b adapted to be received between the spines I'll anda head 15c adapted to engage the back of the spines It! to hold thean'ode pieces "against escape, Inasmuch as the major portion of the anode piece t5is at one side of the notch 15a, the weight of the anode piece tends to rotate it and thereby cause asecure contact between the anode piece and the supporting spines. By reason of the "fact that themajor portion of the anode piece is at one side of the supporting spines, the latter "are curvedas indicated atlll so that the center of mass of all the anode pieces will be immediately benea'ththe current carrying and supporting bar 14 when the supporting spines lflarein approximatelyverticalposition.

The supporting spines H! are bent over at the lower endsas indicated at T6 and welded or .removably secured as by screws or otherwise to' a basket 11 Whitih'is adapted to catch any small pieces of.metal which may become disengaged at thebottom of the stack of anode pieces. These spines may be joined together also by a lower cross-piece l 8 which isadapted to limit the downward motion of the anode pieces until they are consumed to an extent to be disengaged from the It will be understood that the "dot and'idash lines connecting the anode'pieces shown at the upper end of spines] ll with those shown at the lower end thereof indicate that theinterveni'ng space is also filled with similar anode pieces. The anode pieces at the bottom are shown of smaller size to indicate "thatt'hey have been par- 3 tially consumed. As the lower pieces are consumed to an extent to fall into the basket, new pieces may be added at the top, it being understood that the composite anode will be lifted occasionally to remove scrap from the basket and,

if desired, to remove some of the nearly com-' pletely consumed pieces from the bottom and to adjust the positions of remaining pieces.

The spines 10 may be composed of rolled nickel bars (suitably A." by /2) since these are relatively insoluble and also will be largely protected from the action of the current because the anode pieces are interposed between such spines and the cathode. ode is located at the right looking at Fig. 1. The basket I! may be composed of nickel sheet or nickel wire.

When the anode pieces are to be placed in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the head I50 may be inserted between the spines withthe plane of the anode piece approximately vertical. The anode piece may then be rotated into the position shown with the neck l5b between the spines E0. The convenience of adding new anode pieces as indicated is. a feature of my invention and especially important when combined with the locking action brought about by the weight of the anode piece itself causing thesurfaces adjacent to the notches I 5a to engage. the spines in a way to produce secure electrical contact. These effects are secured and at the same time the major portions of the anode pieces l5 are interposed between the cathode and the spines ID to prevent rapid corrosion of the spines Hi. It will be obvious from Fig. 2 that the anode pieces extend for a considerable distance laterally of the spines thereby very effectively shading the spines from the corroding effect of the current.

Referring now to Fig. 4 wherein I have shown a modified form of the invention, I .provide a supporting unit which may consist of spines I9 and a basket similar to that IT; and the con struction of the supporting unit may be in all respects identical with that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 except that at the upper end the spines are bent as shown at 2| and then formed into a hook 22 comprising the upper ends, of both the spines l9 brought into contact with each other. The anode pieces are in this case provided with only a single notch 20a in one edge. The notch 20o has a width a little greater than the distance between the outside edges of the spines 19 so as to be received thereon but the notch 26a is restricted at the extreme edge whereby to provide projections b which may engage behind the spines IS. The distance between the projections 20b is a little greater than'the distance between the outside edges of the spines i9 at their upper ends. By reason of the bending of the spines as indicated at 2|, the anode pieces may be inserted into position above the bends 2i and then moved downwardly into engagement with the spines as indicated. In Fig. 5 I have shown in section the anode piece 20 engaged on the spines I9. 'I have also shown an anode piece 23 having a deeper notch 23a affording a longer distance be tween the bottom of the notch and the projections 23b whereby to cause the anode piece 23 to project at a difierent angle from the spines I 9. Any angle intermediate between those shown can be selected by varying the depth of the. notch 2311. If it is desired to separate the anode pieces along the spines, small pieces of scrap or other small pieces of electro-sheet such as. the metal cut from the notches [5a may be It will be understood that the cathinserted between the anode pieces preferably be tween the necks l5b of adjacent anode pieces.

If an angle such as formed between anode piece 23 and the spines l 9 is desired, it may under some circumstances be preferable to bend the neck of the anode piece instead of cutting deeper notches which may be undesirable because it removes a considerable amount of metal. In Figs. 6 and '7 I have shown anode pieces 24 having notches 24a forming a neck 24b and a head 240 similar to the anode pieces 15 but having the neck 24b bent as indicated.

While I have shown and described the present preferred embodiment of my invention I wish it understood that various changes can be made therein and I, therefore, desire to be limited only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims and the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A composite anode comprising a plurality of anode pieces composed of electrolytic metal sheet and spaced approximately parallel bars connected together adjacent their lower ends and having their upper ends bent into hooks adapted to engage over a bus bar whereby to support. such composite anode and afford a connection forcurrent supply, said anode pieces being approximately square and two adjacent sides thereof being provided with opposed notches approximately equidistant from one corner, said notches receiving said bars whereby good contact is provided between the latter and said anode pieces, said corners of said anode pieces being exposed to electrolytic action and serving to shield portions of said bars from such action.

2. A composite anode comprising a plurality of anode .pieces composed of electrolytic metal sheet andspaced approximately parallel bars connected together adjacent their lower ends and having their upper ends bent into hooks adapted to engage over a bus bar whereby to support such composite anode and afford a connection for current supply, said anode pieces being approximately square and two adjacentsi-des thereof being provided with opposed notches approximately equidistant from one corner, said notches having parallel edges perpendicular to the diagonals of the anode pieces through the corners adjacent to which said notches are located and said notches receiving said bars whereby good contact is provided between the latter and said anode pieces, said corners of said anode pieces being exposed to electrolytic action and serving to shield portions of said bars from such action.

PAUL n. PINE;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 546,483 Bridgman Sept. 17, 1895 867,319 Stubbs Oct. 1, 1907 1,373,693 Wicks Apr. 5, 1921 1,537,046 Louth May 5, 1925 1,549,233 Todd Aug. 11, 1925 1,868,052 Dubpernell July 19, 1932 2,256,820 Veale Sept. 23, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 19 11 

